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With rapid developments of the Internet and Web technologies, the 21st century is a networked digital information era. Accompanying this era, a new world (Cyberworld) is on the way to be brought out. It is an interesting and a full of mystery world. It is the time for us to discover mysteries and make inventions, in particularly, in the fields of world modeling and finding scientific and social laws for guiding people's communications, collaborations and educations in this exciting world. Let us face the challenges and enjoy inventions in the 21st century!

My hobby is reading, traveling, cooking, gardening, programming and badminton.

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Publications (January 2001-December 2001)

1. Runhe Huang, Jianhua Ma, and Qun Jin, A Shopping Negotiation Agent that Adapts to User Preferences, Springer-Verlag Lecture Notes in Computer Science (LNCS 2252), Vol. 2252, pp45-56, 2001.
   Abstract - This paper describes a shopping negotiation agent that can adapt user preferences and automatically negotiate with its counter party on behalf of a user it represents. Since different users can have different preferences, it is important for the agent to have adaptation to different user preferences. This can be achieved by acquiring user preferences, tracing user's behavior on Web and mapping the behavior to a set of the preference parameters, creating the negotiation model class, and generating an instance negotiation model object with new/updated preference parameters.
2. Runhe Huang, Tao Huang, Jianhua Ma, Takeshi Yamazaki, and Minetada Osano, A Hybrid Negotiation Model Based Online Shopping System, in Proceedings of the Fourth International Conference on Human and Computer, pp236-241, September 2001, Japan.
   Abstract - With a reasonable negotiation model, shopping agents can negotiate intelligently on behalf of real-world's users to find a solution that maximizes the utility for all users. This paper presents an online shopping system that includes shopping agents, such as buyer agents and seller agents, which are based on a hybrid negotiation model and demonstrates how a shopping agent negotiates intelligently with counter party regarding a product on behalf of a user it represents.
3. ao Huang, Runhe Huang, and Jianhua Ma, Negotiation Modeling in E-trading, in Proceedings of the Fourth International Conference on Human and Computer, pp230-235, September 2001, Japan.
   Abstract - In this paper, a new negotiation model, called a hybrid negotiation model, is proposed. The hybrid negotiation model is a combination of an extended Bazaar model (a sequential decision making based Bayesian learning model) and a "lose bounded" Nash bargaining solution. With the proposed negotiation model, agents that represent buyers and sellers in the real-life can negotiate in an intelligent way to effectively and efficiently reach agreement and optimize their individual utility function, respectively, in a trading business. How learning in negotiations is proceeding and how common knowledge and public information are employed to make initial strategies of negotiations are described in details.
4. Runhe Huang and Jianhua Ma, A Java Technology Based Shared Browser for Tele-lecturing in University21, in the Proceedings of 4th International Conference on Computational Intelligence and Multimedia Applications (ICCIMA'01), pp298-302, October 2001, Japan.
   Abstract - This paper describes a shared browser and explains how it is integrated into a virtual collaboration room (VCR) and used to achieve effective and interactive tele-lecturing in a virtual university, University21. The shared browser allows multiple users in different remote sites to navigate same web document in the mode of what you see is what I see. This is a significant advantage over current popular browsers.
5. Jianhua Ma and Runhe Huang, The Internet Group Tour via a Shared Web Browser, in edited book: Enabling Society with Information Technologies, published by Springer, pp69-78, ISBN 4-431-70327-6, 2001.
   Abstract -When a group of people would like to visit or access the Internet together, it is necessary to have a shared web browser following the mode of what-you-see-is-what-I-see (WYSIWIS) that allows all group members to make inputs to the browser and distributes the results among the all members. This article presents our design and implementation of such a shared browser using the server-client model and Java technology. All users who connect to a same server of a shared browser belong to a same group, and see a same web page, and different groups must run their own browsers' servers.
6. Runhe Huang and Jianhua Ma, An Object, Session, and Room Persistence in VCR for Enhancing Online Learning Effectiveness, in CD Proceedings of International Conference on Information Technology Based Higher Education and Training (ITHET2001), July 2001, Japan.
   Abstract - This paper explains what is an object, a session, and a room persistence in a virtual collaboration room, and describes functions of object recording/replaying, session recording/replaying, and object and room persistence in VCR, and finally demonstrates by examples how the functions are used to solve schedule conflicting problems in a synchronous group activity and to support asynchronous group activities as well. Online learning is improved with the functions in terms of effectiveness and efficiency.
7. Runhe Huang and Jianhua Ma, A Platform Independent Shared Web Browser, Journal of Internet Technology, Volume 2, No.4, pp301- 308, 2001.
   Abstract -The current popular browsers such as Microsoft Internet Explorer and Netscape Communicator allow only an individual to freely navigate on the Web. Our shared Web browser enables multi-users in physically different sites to simultaneously navigate the Web-based virtual world together. Using the shared browser, a group of users share not only a Web document but also operations on the browser and Web documents. In this article, we present the shared Web browser in details including command server, Web proxy server, and client and show its application in a multimedia collaboration system - VCR (Virtual Collaboration Room) as an object. The shared Web browser has potential applications in many other systems, such as tele-lecturing, tele-conferencing, shopping together in e-commerce, and group virtual tour.
8. Jianhua Ma and Runhe Huang, Designs and Implementations of University21, Computer Journal, Vol. 13, N0. 2, pp17-45, June 2001.
   Abstract - University21 is an integrated educational system (IES) aimed at supporting all teaching, learning and administrating activities in Internet and Web based virtual universities of various scales. It consists of three parts: cyber-campus, facilities, and agents. In this article, we describe the functionality and composition of each part in details and demonstrate how they support to each other. It is emphasized that intelligent software agents can assist people and their work in a virtual university.
9. Timothy K. Shih, Shi-Kuo Chang, Jeffrey Tsai, Jianhua Ma and Runhe Huang, Supporting Well-Engineered Web Documentation Development-A Multimedia Software Engineering Approach towards Virtual University Courseware Designs, Annuals of Software Engineering International Journal, 2001 (accepted). 2001.
   Abstract -Distance learning has become a very important mechanism for virtual university operation. In order to realize such an operation smoothly, it is necessary to consider distance learning from three perspectives: administration, awareness, and assessment. We are currently implementing a virtual university environment according to these guidelines. In this paper, we propose part of such a supporting environment of the Multimedia Macro-University project1. One of the most important focuses is a Web course development paradigm. On the other hand, software development paradigms were developed to support program construction. However, these traditional paradigms do not completely fit the needs of Web document development due to the following reasons. It is therefore necessary to investigate a new software development paradigm for developing Web documents. In this article, we propose such a new paradigm and its supporting environment, as well as software testing/metrics mechanisms for Web documents. The system is implemented as a three-tier architecture, which runs under MS Windows.
10. Timothy K. Shih, Shi-Kuo Chang, Jianhua Ma and Runhe Huang, Web Learning Assessment and Adaptive Tutoring, Journal of Applied Systems Studies, Cambridge International Science Publishing, 2001 (accepted).
    Abstract - Web-based distance learning is a trend of instruction delivery. One of the most difficult challenges of such a learning mechanism is the assessment of students' learning criteria. It is hard to judge the behavior of a student since the instructor is separated spatially and temporally from the students. However, it is possible to rely on some Web-based tools to keep track of a student's course attendance, as well as the navigation behavior of that student. In addition, the navigation behavior of an individual can be compared to those of others. Analysis can be conducted. And interactive tutorial can be generated to assist the student of poor score. This paper proposes such a mechanism, as well as its supporting system run on Windows browsers.
11. Qun Jin, J. Ma, R. Huang and T.K. Shih, Design Principles of an Open Agent Architecture for Web-based Learning Community, in CD Proceedings of World Conference on Education Multimedia, hypermedia & Telecommunications (ED-MEDIA2001), pp829-834, Tampere, Finland, June, 2001.
    Abstract - There is an inevitable choice to use various agents to assist or replace human to a certain extent for the work in a virtual learning community. There is a strong need for the development of the designated architecture for integrating and using various agents. This research is focused on developing an open agent architecture that can easily integrate developed agents to a learning system and flexibly modify the agents with permission. This paper describes the design ideas of such desired architecture, demonstrates how the architecture system works, and explains three agents in a Web-based learning system, University21.
12. Runhe Huang, Jianhua Ma and Timothy K Shih, Integrating Agents into a Virtual University via an Open Agent Architecture, in Edited Proceeding of Advanced in Educational Technologies, pp1-8, International Conference on Intelligent Multimedia and Distance Education, June, 2001, USA.
    Abstract - A virtual university is far beyond putting learning materials into a Web site. Like a real physical university, it has enormous work involved with people, environment and facilities. Instead of employing lot of manpower like in a real university, a virtual university can use various agents to assist or replace human to a certain extend for the work involved in a virtual university. As agents are intelligent software programs that can be developed by different parties, how to integrate the developed agents to a virtual university becomes an inevitable issue for the virtual university research society. This paper proposes a so-called open agent architecture that can integrate developed agents to the virtual university system and allows specified people to modify the agents when it is necessary.
13. 13. Jianhua Ma, Runhe Huang and Timothy K. Shih, Co-Navigation on the World Wide Web over the Internet, in Edited Proceeding of Intelligent Multimedia Computing and Communications, pp131-140, International Conference on Intelligent Multimedia and Distance Education, June, 2001, USA.
    Abstract - It is noted that the current popular browsers such as Microsoft Internet Explorer and Netscape Communicator only allow a single user freely navigate on the Web. However, there is increasing demand of co-navigation on the WWW over the Internet, that is, multi-users in different sites can simultaneously navigate the Web-based virtual world together. This paper describes a shared Web browser that enables a group of users share not only a Web document but also operations on the browser and Web documents. To be platform independent, the browser is implemented in Java language under a server-client model. The server program is a Java application and the client program is a Java applet. To overcome Java applet security restrictions, it is indispensable to develop and implement a Web proxy server to access and/or download Web documents in remote Web sites on behalf of clients. The paper also shows how to integrate the browser into VCR (virtual collaboration room).
14. Runhe Huang and Jianhua Ma, The Design of an Architecture for Incorporating Developed Agents to a Virtual Educational System, Proceedings of 19th International Conference on Computer Processing of Oriental Languages, May 2001, Korea.
    Abstract - This paper proposes an architecture for incorporating developed agents to a virtual educational system. As we know, a virtual educational system is a complex system that is far beyond to put web documents to a web site. In fact, it is involved enormous work with people, virtual environment, and virtual facilities. People may release from heavy work if they can use intelligent agents developed by other parties. However, how to incorporating the developed agents to a virtual educational system becomes problem. It seems an open architecture is needed. This paper describes such architecture with which a virtual educational system can easily and flexibly integrate the developed agents.
15. Jianhua Ma and Runhe Huang, Timothy K. Shih, Qun Jin, Implementation of a Shared Web Browser Using Java Technology, Proceedings of 19th International Conference on Computer Processing of Oriental Languages, May 2001, Korea.
    Abstract - The shared Web browser is a collaborative tool that enables multi-users in physically different sites to simultaneously view a same Web document over the Internet. Using the browser, a group of users share not only a Web document but also operations such as entering a new URL link, clicking a hyperlink in a Web page, changing a size of the browser, moving the scroll bar, etc. Due to Java security restrictions, the shared browser client, i.e., the applet, cannot directly access and download Web documents from other remote hosts except the host the applet came from. This problem has been solved via a Web proxy server through which clients can access Web documents including HTML, image, and other multimedia files resided in any other remote hosts. This paper is focused on describing the design ideas and implementations of the Web proxy server.
16. J. Ma, R. Huang, and R. Nakatani, Towards a Natural Internet-Based Collaborative Environment with support of Object Physical and Social Characteristics, International Journal of Software Engineering and Knowledge Engineering, V0l. 11, No. 1 (2001), pp37-53, World Scientific Publishing Company. 2001.
    Abstract -Objects in this article refer to sharable applications, such as a whiteboard and a video player, used by multi-users who are in different sites and have computers connected to networks. The objects are important elements in our Internet-based desktop collaborative system, called virtual collaboration room. We argue that a natural collaborative environment should be developed in a framework of using both a room metaphor and an object metaphor, i.e., emulating the fundamental characteristics of real rooms and real objects, respectively. This article gives the first systematic specifications of object physical and social characteristics and discusses how to exploit and implement the object characteristics in VCR. A preliminary prototype of platform independent real-time audio/video communications among multiple users is also described. It can be used together with VCR.

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